Shack Adjustments

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I decided to have a change around in the shack and get some use out of some of the equipment that I had forgot about for a while. I started by installing the robust little YAESU FT-2600M – 2M FM transceiver that I have owned for just over 5 years, I set the FT-2600M up with a separate PSU and a X200 Collinear (vertical) antenna. I remembered that I had a modular to 8pin din adaptor some where in my junk draw and once I located it I connected the Adonis AMDX1 desk microphone replacing the standard fist mic. The YAESU FT-2600M rig can be seen in the image below.
The next “shack adjustment” was to involve both the base and mobile setup, I have been missing the good old YAESU FT-100 out in the mobile since I supposedly upgraded to the newer FT-857. The FT-857 has been working adequately over the last 12 months but it has still failed to convince me that it is the better radio out of the two multi mode, multi band mobile rigs. The FT-857 has a much smaller display than the older FT-100 which has a nice large illuminated panel providing space for a more pleasing meter and frequency readout. The other difference which has been the main concern has been occasional intermittent poor audio reports from the FT-857 despite playing around with the various settings and menu options. The FT-100 audio reports have always been good and more often than not “excellent signal for a mobile,” which when running a QRP station it is advantageous to make the most of anything that can help make the output signal sound its best. This was instantly proved when the two radios had been swapped over as the first QSO from the newly installed mobile FT-100 was into Japan with a 5/5 report from JI1LET on 14.162 MHz, without any difficulty.

I have continued making good qso throughout the week with the FT-100 mobile station when I have been using the vehicle. The FT-857 is now back in the Shack connected with a 2m wide band and a 10M vertical antenna. I have interfaced the FT-857 along side the FT-847 with the pc and are using the rig with Radio Com DSP decoding software for RX-ing WX Fax transmissions as well as monitoring the Air bands & WX SATs.

The shack has had a dusting off and with the recent 22” monitor it is looking as good as ever ready to continue pulling in some interesting signals. At present the Worked All Europe Contest taking place on the HF Bands is providing me with plenty of stations to work as I give away a few points to some of the DX Contest Stations. I heard Indonesia earlier condx seem reasonable – Good Luck all participating.

Check out the re-configured Shack setup.

Comments

Phaze58 said…
Nice one Si
Looking froward to having a looksee firsthand
9:34 pm
MØYKS Simon said…
Cheers matey! hope you enjoyed the rally.

See you soon 73
6:20 pm
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